Seahawks make moves to try to get their passing game moving

RENTON, Wash. -- If the quarterback is the brain of the passing game, then the wide receivers represent the rest of its central nervous system.

So it's no wonder that a Seahawks offense plagued by injuries and youth at wide receiver had trouble functioning even the most basic of motor skills during a 34-10 loss at Buffalo on Sunday.

It's rare for any NFL team to face as dire a situation at a skill position as the one facing Seattle at receiver.

Ed Zurga/Associated PressThe Seahawks signed Samie Parker on Wednesday in hopes the former University of Oregon and Kansas City receiver will bring experience to a depleted wideout corps.

Out for the year are Nate Burleson (knee) and Ben Obomanu (clavicle). Out for another month are Bobby Engram (shoulder) and Deion Branch (knee). That leaves inexperienced players Courtney Taylor, Logan Payne and Jordan Kent as the only receivers left standing who went through preseason practices with the team. And all three struggled mightily during the season opener.

The Seahawks responded to the receiver crisis by signing Samie Parker and Billy McMullen. At their first practice Wednesday, both displayed NFL-quality speed and talent.

But it's their unfamiliarity with the Seahawks' system that will concern Seattle coach Mike Holmgren the most while game planning Sunday's home opener against San Francisco.

"I don't want to scale down too much," Holmgren said. "I want to just continue to play offense the way we play offense."

He might not have a choice. The reality is that the passing game's woes at Buffalo meant the highly creative Holmgren likely would have had to water down his offense even before signing two new receivers.

Parker and McMullen, who were recently released by other teams, have a combined 92 games of NFL experience that Holmgren hopes will offset the inexperience of Taylor and Payne, at least until Branch and Engram return following the team's open date Week 4.

Until then, Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck must adjust to his new receivers well enough to compensate for a poor running game that was further hindered by the loss of guard Rob Sims for the year with a torn pectoral muscle.

"The better the receiver, the easier it is," Hasselbeck said. "I think my job is just to make it happen with whoever's on our team."

McMullen should make an easy transition in Holmgren's system. He played in a similar offense in Philadelphia under Andy Reid and spent last training camp with Washington, coached by former Seattle quarterbacks coach Jim Zorn.

Parker faces more of a learning curve having never played in a West Coast system.

"It's not too stressful," the former University of Oregon player said. "All I have to do is study the book and everything will take care of itself."

Carolina released the 2004 fourth-round pick out of Oregon during the preseason after spending the previous four seasons with Kansas City.

The former UO track star has elite speed but never put together consistent performances in Kansas City and spent his career there as a role player. Now he said he hopes to give Seattle some firepower in its dormant passing game.

"I bring big play-making ability," Parker said. "They have seen me play at Oregon and they know what I'm capable of doing."

Kent had big play speed as well, but having three inexperienced receivers did not appeal to Holmgren. So, Kent became the odd man out and was cut Tuesday despite having a solid preseason that earned him a spot on the team's 53-man roster after having spent last year on the practice squad.

Kent, re-signed to the practice squad on Wednesday, said he was thankful for the chance to return and continue to work.

"Sometimes you can't try to understand the reasons and everything like that, you have to understand, 'that's out of my control and it's their decision, just keep doing what you're doing, don't let it hinder you or distract you from your goal,'" Kent said.

Also in play is backup quarterback Seneca Wallace, who has seen time at wide receiver in the past and practiced at the position on Wednesday. He also could return punts in place of Burleson.

"How we use him kind of ties into how the new guys fit in," Holmgren said.

Seattle's situation is similar to what the St. Louis Rams faced last season when four of five starting linemen missed significant time and the team spiraled from would-be playoff contender to a 3-13 record.

Fortunately for the Seahawks, they face unlikely playoff contenders in San Francisco (0-1) on Sunday and St. Louis (0-1) next week. Also, the potential for better times lies ahead. The team's medical staff told Holmgren that Branch and Engram should return for the Week 5 game at the New York Giants.

Until then, the team will try to survive. Maybe nothing defines how precarious that quest will be than potentially playing Wallace at wide receiver, a move, Holmgren admitted, that could be summed up by the phrase, "desperate times call for desperate measures."

"That's a good way to put it," he said. "That's a very good way to put it."